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iPhone 12 mini Beware apple trade in

I

IphoneX9753

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 28, 2020
70
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Beware trading in with Apple this cycle. We sent in a 12 mini that had scratches to screen but no cracks and scuffs on the rails. Apple said estimated $250 trade-in, they received it and assessed $0 trade-in. I rejected the trade-in and it’s being shipped back to us. It has AppleCare+ until mid November, so I will file an express replacement claim and sell it on Swappa. More of a pain but I’m not taking $0.
 
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IphoneX9753 said:
Beware trading in with Apple this cycle. We sent in a 12 mini that had scratches to screen but no cracks and scuffs on the rails. Apple said estimated $250 trade-in, the received it and assessed $0 trade-in. I rejected the trade-in and it’s being shipped back to us. It has AppleCare+ until mid November, so I will file an express replacement claim and sell it on Swappa. More of a pain but I’m not taking $0.
Click to expand...
IIRC, trading in via Apple.com is not trading it in to Apple. They use a vender, Phobi0, which has horrendous reviews. If you are trading in, and you live near an Apple Store, that is the best bet.

www.macrumors.com

Apple's Trade-In Partner Phobio Has Reportedly Faced an 'Alarming Uptick' in Complaints

Apple has placed increased emphasis on device trade-ins in the last few years, with the company largely relying on third-party partners for its...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

This is one of many threads regarding it.
 
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Mlrollin91 said:
IIRC, trading in via Apple.com is not trading it in to Apple. They use a vender, Phobi0, which has horrendous reviews. If you are trading in, and you live near an Apple Store, that is the best bet.

www.macrumors.com

Apple's Trade-In Partner Phobio Has Reportedly Faced an 'Alarming Uptick' in Complaints

Apple has placed increased emphasis on device trade-ins in the last few years, with the company largely relying on third-party partners for its...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

This is one of many threads regarding it.
Click to expand...

Exactly. This issue has been well known for years. It's surprising to me that Apple hasn't made changes to this trade in program seeing as many people have issues. It doesn't reflect well on them.
 
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What I don’t understand is why they can’t acknowledge that it has Apple Care and offer a reduced trade in amount based on that an accidental damage claim amount ($100?). That seems fair and reasonable for all parties and reduces the buyer having to potentially undo the whole transaction.

Don’t they do this with the iUP program?
 
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tis said:
Exactly. This issue has been well known for years. It's surprising to me that Apple hasn't made changes to this trade in program seeing as many people have issues. It doesn't reflect well on them.
Click to expand...
Well they sent me the box but after reading here thinking I am just going to trade in elsewhere. This was my first time doing the trade in to Apple.
 
IconIc215 said:
Well they sent me the box but after reading here thinking I am just going to trade in elsewhere. This was my first time doing the trade in to Apple.
Click to expand...
What's the return address on the box? It is probably addressed to Phobio. If you have a nearby Apple Store, just take it in and they will refund the payment method of the new device. (Have 14 days from the new device purchase to do an in-store trade in).
 
Careful with Swappa, I got screwed on a sale where I had pics prior to sending of an immaculate phone, the buyer scratched it up and I lost the appeal on PayPal and the buyer didn’t even have to send the phone back. Will never use them again.
 
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Mlrollin91 said:
What's the return address on the box? It is probably addressed to Phobio. If you have a nearby Apple Store, just take it in and they will refund the payment method of the new device. (Have 14 days from the new device purchase to do an in-store trade in).
Click to expand...
My ship to return label is going to AI DBS in Carlisle Pa.
 
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Thanks, I was worried cause I don't even have a date yet when my Trade In kit arrives. I think I'll just bring it to the store instead.
 
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MM301 said:
What I don’t understand is why they can’t acknowledge that it has Apple Care and offer a reduced trade in amount based on that an accidental damage claim amount ($100?). That seems fair and reasonable for all parties and reduces the buyer having to potentially undo the whole transaction.

Don’t they do this with the iUP program?
Click to expand...
Apple contracts out for their IUP upgrades too and they’ve “lost” 2 prior iPhones even though FedEx tracking shows delivered. Now I make sure my iup trade in is done at the Apple Store.
 
Like with every bureaucracy, I'm betting the penny pinchers at the trade in place are pushing for more rejections due to the economy for reselling going into slow mode. Sad, really...
 
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For Schnitts and giggles i should send them a brick and see how they process it. 🤣😂
 

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AJ44 said:
Careful with Swappa, I got screwed on a sale where I had pics prior to sending of an immaculate phone, the buyer scratched it up and I lost the appeal on PayPal and the buyer didn’t even have to send the phone back. Will never use them again.
Click to expand...
Sounds like that guy scammed you. Probably had a similar phone like the one he bought from you, and sent those pictures of his damage phone to PayPal to dispute. Trashy people man … sorry you had to go though that. Good no know, I won’t use swappa.
 
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Mlrollin91 said:
IIRC, trading in via Apple.com is not trading it in to Apple. They use a vender, Phobi0, which has horrendous reviews. If you are trading in, and you live near an Apple Store, that is the best bet.

www.macrumors.com

Apple's Trade-In Partner Phobio Has Reportedly Faced an 'Alarming Uptick' in Complaints

Apple has placed increased emphasis on device trade-ins in the last few years, with the company largely relying on third-party partners for its...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

This is one of many threads regarding it.
Click to expand...
Yup. Apple, while creating the illusion of first party trade-in to save the environment, in reality outsourced it to someone else to do the dirty job. One time I was at Singapore's Apple store, and it's the same, they outsourced the trade-in to a 3rd party, even in-store. The value was so bad that even the Apple employee did not recommend trading in with them. The same in my home country Indonesia, where even the authorized distributors outsourced the trade in to another 3rd party. For Apple, minimal risk while maintaining their "green" image.
 
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AJ44 said:
Careful with Swappa, I got screwed on a sale where I had pics prior to sending of an immaculate phone, the buyer scratched it up and I lost the appeal on PayPal and the buyer didn’t even have to send the phone back. Will never use them again.
Click to expand...
This is why those "official" (outsourced) trade-ins can get away with low-balling the customers. Too many scammers out there and the lay people just don't want to deal with it. They'd rather get something than be scammed.

Best way to sell used phone is to do it locally so you can meet in person and both parties verified the item and transaction.
 
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IphoneX9753 said:
Beware trading in with Apple this cycle. We sent in a 12 mini that had scratches to screen but no cracks and scuffs on the rails. Apple said estimated $250 trade-in, they received it and assessed $0 trade-in. I rejected the trade-in and it’s being shipped back to us. It has AppleCare+ until mid November, so I will file an express replacement claim and sell it on Swappa. More of a pain but I’m not taking $0.
Click to expand...

Apple is using Northstar a trashy third party to deal with trade-ins. Not an excuse but to highlight where this garbage is coming from.

BE skeptical. USE your voice to tell Apple they should NOT be using a third party service for this! Tell Apple to value hardware as new with no AppleCare+ fixes. The AC+ should count as warranty or full repair to restock & parts or new resale as such the end user would be granted!

Now for iPhone 12 mini users like myself currently. Trade ins anywhere is not worth it. You have a great and I queue phone. Either burn it out fully or sell it after market in top quality condition. Period.
 
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